Cigarette making machine



March 7, 1944- D, w. MoLlNs ET A1.

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @JAM W l .MyW

March 7, 1944. D W MOUNS EVAL 2,343,240

C IGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 7,1944. D WQ MOUNSETAL 2,343,240

C IGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 2l, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3. )A150444 Mymgp- Patented Mar. 7, 1944 CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Desmond Walter Molins and Cyril Best, Deptford, London, England, assignors to Molins Machine Company Limited, Deptford, London, England Application May 21, 1941, Serial No. 394,542 In Great Britain June 18,1940

4 Claims.

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to testing apparatus for use in checking the product of an automatic machine.

As is well known, many automatic machines at present in use are provided with testing apparatus adapted to weigh, gauge or otherwise test the product. For example, many cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type are provided with mechanism adapted automatically to control the rate at Awhich tobacco is fedfrom a. hopper to the cigarette rod forming mechanism. Such control mechanism is usually connected with and is operated by cigarette testing apparatus, such as weighing apparatus, which determines whether or not the cigarettes being produced by the machine are of the required standard. An example of such mechanism is shown and described in United States patent specication No. 2,083,173. There may, however, be occasions when the articles produced by an automatic machine are not up to the normal standard due to some special reason. In a cigarette making machine, for instance, an accident, such as the stripping of earding from a feed roller in the tobacco-feeding mechanism, gives rise to defects in the feeding which cannot be automatically compensated by alteration of the mechanism for controlling the rate at which the tobacco is fed from the hopper. Since the control mechanism and testing apparatus are automatic, it is not 'usual for the machine minder constant- 1y to watch these parts and it is, therefore, possible that should the falling oi in the standard ofproduction be dueto abnormal circumstances, a large number of unsatisfactory cigarettes may be produced before the unusual circumstances are observed by the machine minder. It is an object of the lpresent invention to provide means whereby the machine minders attention will be drawn at an early stage to the production of faulty articles due to unusual circumstances.

According to the present invention there is provided testing apparatus, for use in checking the product of an automatic machine, having indicating mechanism comprising an electrically operated signalling device, a switch in the signal circuit, switch operating means vresponsive to impulses received from the testing apparatus and operable after movement through a predetermined distance to a switch operating position to cause' a signal to be emitted. Means may be provided for returning the switch operating means to a normal .or starting position at the end of a cycle consisting of a predetermined number of testing operations.

The switch operating means may be moved to the switch operating position by a predetermined number of step by step movements due to impulses received from the testing apparatus when unsatisfactory articles are tested.

Means (e. g. a manually releasable catch) may be provided for holding the switch operating means in the signalling position when reached, irrespective of the operation of the resetting 'i means.

One way of carrying the invention into eiect will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a testing apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure l partly in section.

v Figure 3 is a view of the upper part of Figure l inthe direction of the arrow A.

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of Figures 2 and 3 drawn to a. larger scale.

Referring to the drawings the testing apparatus in the present case is a weighing apparatus adapted for use with a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type. At regular intervals a cigarette is selected from the produce of the machine and delivered in a known way to the scale pan (not shown) of the weighing apparatus. For instance, one cigarette may be selected from each forty consecutive cigarettes produced by the machine.

The weighing apparatus is mechanically operated and timed to start weighing as soon as a cigarette is delivered into the pan and ultimately a pointer I fixed to the weigh beam comes to rest in an angular position depending on the weight of said cigarette. Then a pressing device 2 pivoted at 3 moves towards the pointer and a needle 4 on said pointer passes on one side or the other of one of a series of knife edges 5 according to the angular position of the pointer I and a counting unit is actuated to record the operation in the manner described below.

Six counting units are shown, one of which, 6, records the total number of cigarettes weighed by the weighing apparatus while the other units, 1, 8, 9, IIJ and Il record respectively the numbers of cigarettes which are of correct weight, heavy, very heavy, light or very light. Each -counting unit is actuated through a pawl and spring 22, the whole device thus constitutingl a f trigger.

When the pressing device 2 moves inwards and presses on the pointer I, the latter is pressed against the end projection :23 of one of the levers I6 and the lever rotates on the spindle I1 and releases the trigger thus permitting the oper-l ation of the appropriate counter. On the spindle I on which the levers I2 are mounted, two arms 24 are also mounted and these carry ay cross-bar 25 which lies in front of the levers I8. After a counting unit has been actuated, the trigger is reset by the cross-barl which is oscillated about the spindle I5 by' a link 25 movable in the direction of the arrow Figure 2 in timed relationship with the rest of the apparatus. While a particular counting unitvis being operated `as described above, the unit 6 is operated by pressure of the pointer Ill on astirrup 2'I pivoted on the spindle I'I, which similarly releases the lever I8 appertaining to the counter A-.link 28 pivoted to one'of the arms 24 is pivotally attached toa crank 29 loosely mounted on a fixed spindle 30. A .pawl 3l is pivoted on the crank and pressed by ay spring -(no t shown) intoengagement with a ratchet wheel 32 which is xed to a disc 33 both members being yfreely rotatable on the xed spindle 30, This disc 33 is provided with a numberrl of pins 34 fixed to it at equally spaced positions around its centre and constitutes a resetting device referred to later. Alternatively the disc may be provided with a larger number of equally spaced holes into some Voflwhichvpins may be fixed at equal angular positions according to the number of pins :it is desired tol have. When the apparatus is in operation it will be seen that the disc 33 is rotated equalto the pitch of the ratchet. teeth ateach weighing operation. The circular distance bei tween two consecutive pins 34 represents a cycle offweighing operations and willbe referred to later. Another pawl 35 acting as a detent lis carried on an arm 36 fixed to the spindle 30.

Aflever 37, constituting a carrier for an electric switch referred to below is also-freely mount,- ed on Vthe spindle 30. One end of the lever is provided with ratchet teeth 38 which areoperatively engaged at times by a paw1-39 pivoted on a lever 49 which isloosely mounted onthe spindle 30. The lever 40 is shaped as a stirrup, see Figure 3, and is oscillated about the spindle 3S by extensions 4I formedat the ends of those levers I4 which appertain to the counters 9 and I I for recording very heavyor very lightweights or if desired, as shown in chain lines Figure 3, also to those'levers I4 which appertain to the counters 8 and I0 for light and heavy weights. Thus, if during a cycle the machine begins torun erratically and an undue number of heavy or light cigarettes are produced, the switch carrierl 'will be rotated about the spindle 3Iluntil it reaches a position at which a switch is caused to close and operate asignalling device42. Bref;-

y erably a mercury switch 43'is employed and carried by the lever 3l and when the latter reaches the predetermined position the signalling device Ais operated, e. g. a lamp is lit or a bell is rung.

The initial position of the switch carrier is determined by an adjustable stop 44 mounted in an arm 45 fixed to the spindle 3U. As shown in Figure 2 the switch carrier 31 is horizontal and the mercury switch is making,` the carrier having been moved through an angular distance of five ratchet teeth from the initial position, to

'close the switch.

The switchvis fixed to the carrier by an adjustable'clamp 46 whereby it may be fixed at any angle to alter thenumber of step by step movements necessary to close the switch. In order that the signalling device shall not vbe operated to give warning solely due to occasduring saidcycle the signalling device has been operated, in which case a catch devicedescribed below prevents such automatic resetting of the carrier. lFor example, a cycle may be a period of time in which ftyconsecutive Weighing operations take place or a period required to manufacture two thousand cigarettes in the case where one cigarette is weighed from each forty produced. In the construction shown the pins 34 would require to be spaced apart .on the disc 33 at an angular distance equal to the pitch of fifty teeth onv the ratchetwheel 32. YActually fewer teeth are shown in order` to renderthe drawing clear. As the disc 33 rotates, the pins 34 periodically strike against a lever 4l xed ,on afspindle 48 rotatable in Aa bearing 49 fixed to 4the `stirrup 4I).4 At the other end ofthe spindle 48 is iixed the pawl 39 which moves the'switch carrier. A detent 50 is also provided which-en-i gages thefteethA 33 and retains the switch carrier in position whiletheppawl r3S making.'` its idle stroke.r This ydetentis pivoted inem-arm 5I fixed tothe spindle 39. :When'a pin-34 strikes vthe lever` 4Ijthe pawl 39 is moved out of engage:

ment with the .teethS (see chaini line position vliigurel) and an extensionr -lever 52` formed position and thus the lever 47 is hidden by ith'e lever 52 in Figure 4. Similarly the detent50 covers the pawl 39 and in both instances the appropriate references' are bracketed j inthat figure. v v o I ,K

In order that the signalling device shall' I' l tinue to operate until the machine minders 'at'- tention is attracted, means areprovided to' hold the switch carrier in the switch operating. pot

'sition after such position has'b-een'reached .even

if the resetting device .has` operated on. the'pavvl 39, and detent; 5. The switch carrierretaining means shown comprises .a catch device V54 :formed as a spring bolt-adjustably fixed toaqlfnarsup',-l ported on a side extension 5S of the-atm 35 What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Signalling equipment for use with apparatus for testing articles to determine the conformity thereof with a standard and desired characteristie of such articles, comprising a device movable step by step from a first position toward a second position, means connecting said apparatus to said device to impart one step of movement to the latter on the testing by said apparatus of a non-conforming article, signalling means operable by said device on the completion of movement thereof to said second position, means operable by said apparatus for restoring said device to said first position on the completion by said apparatus of a predetermined number of tests of articles, and means for retaining said signalling means in operation when rendered operable by said device irrespective of restoration of said device to said rst position.

2. Signalling equipment for use with apparatus for testing articles to determine the conformity thereof with a standard and desired characteristic of such articles, comprising a device movable step by step from a rst position toward a second position, means connecting said apparatus to said device to impart one step of movement to the latter on the testing of a non-conforming article, signalling means operable by said device on the completion of movement thereof to said second position, and means operable by said apparatus for moving said device in the opposite direction whenever movement of said device to said second position is not completed prior to the'testing of a predetermined number of articles.

3. Signalling equipment for use with apparatus -for testing articles to determine the conformity thereof with a standard and desired characteristic of such articles, comprising a device movable step by step by said apparatus in response to the testing of successive articles, a second device movable step by step from a rst position toward a second position by said apparatus in response to the testing of non-conforming articles, signalling means operable by said second device on the completion of movement thereof to said second position, means operable by said rst device for restoring said second device to said iirst position on the completion of testing by said apparatus of a predetermined number of articles prior to operation of said signalling means, and means preventing the return of said second device yfrom said second position to said first position by said restoring means when said second position is reached, whereby said signalling means is maintained in operation following the testing of a predetermined number of articles of which an excessive number are nonconforming.

4. Signalling equipment for use with apparatus for periodically testing articles to determine the conformity thereof with a standard and desired characteristic of such articles,comprising a device movable step by step from a rst position toward a second position, means connecting said apparatus to said device to impart one step of movement to the latter on the testing by said apparatus of a non-conforming article, signalling means operable by said device on the completion of movement thereof to said second position, and means operable by said apparatus for restoring said device to said first position from a position short of said second position on the completion of the testing by said apparatus of a predetermined number of articles prior to operation of said signalling means.

DESMOND WALTER MOLINS. CYRH.; BEST. 

